Street Legal opened the Umbrella Festival in style at the Cranker on Friday night. Though this was only the band’s second show, you wouldn’t know it, being a local super group of sorts. They play a mix of new wave, funk, punk and garage rock that had the enthusiastic crowd on their feet and moving.

Singer Matthew Hayward knows how to engage with the audience, and his timely political rants were accurate and well received. Subject matter for his songs ranged from FIFO dating to anti-vaxxers and one being a dig at our reprehensible previous Prime Minister. The band has written and arranged some excellent songs and they put in a dynamic performance. A fired-up cover of the Buzzcocks’ ‘Ever Fallen In Love’ wasn’t out of place among the originals.

Musically the band was tight and inspired. Guitarists Shara and Libby mixed spiky new wave and funk riffs with punky garage rock power chords while drummer Max and bass player Kyron held it all together and drove the grooves for each song. Used sparingly, percussive backing tracks added to the danceable nature of the bands’ sound but never overpowered the live instruments.

Street Legal may be new to the scene but each individual member’s experience playing in some of Adelaide’s finest bands has given them a head start. There’s a definite chemistry that comes across in their performance. They’re fun to watch, engaging and I guarantee they will make you want to move.